In article ,
Peter Kemp peter_n_kempathotmaildotcom wrote:

On Sat, 13 Sep 2003 20:23:55 GMT, Chad Irby wrote:

In article ,
Peter Kemp peter_n_kempathotmaildotcom wrote:

We're not talking some of the less able Arab nations, but Egypt, who
has no problems keeping it's F-16s at a fairly high availability, and
the Saudis, who also manage to keep their E-3s and F-15s in the air.

Not according to, well, everything I've ever read, heard and seen. The
current mission-capable rate on the Saudi F-15s is supposed to be less
than 50%, and that's just birds they can get into the air, not what the
US calls "combat capable."

Cite?

Years of hanging around guys who have worked with the Saudis. A couple
of old friends went to work training their techs. The general view is
that they just plain don't have any good flightline techs, except for a
handful of expatriates.

Saudi Arabia is kinda like a guy who buys a top-line Mercedes, never
reads the owner's manual, doesn't change the oil, and lets their cousin
Bob do the tuneups...

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